The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #58721

Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, PhD¹, Norweeta G. Milburn, PhD², Babette A. Brumback, PhD³, Doreen A. Rosenthal, PhD⁴, Shelly A. Mallett, PhD⁴, and Andrea A. Witkin, MA². (1) Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire, Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024-6521, 310-794-8280, rotheram@ucla.edu, (2) NPI-Center for Community Health, University of California at Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, (3) NPI-Center for Community Health, Ubiversity of California at Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, (4) Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, The University of Melbourne, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Objective: Previous research on homeless adolescents exiting homelessness has focused on how their background characteristics (e.g., age) contribute to exiting homelessness (Smart, 1991). The roles of family, friends, and community institutions – informal support and formal services – have not been widely examined despite their importance in adolescent development. This paper examines how background characteristics, homelessness experiences, family, friends and social institutions decrease or increase newly homeless adolescents’ chances of exiting homelessness. Methods: Newly homeless adolescents (N = 327) were recruited in Melbourne, AU and Los Angeles, USA and assessed at baseline, three months and six months. Newly homeless adolescents were young people, ages 12 to 20 years, who had been away from home for six months or less. Results: Preliminary findings, using multivariate logistic regression analyses, suggest that homelessness experiences, family, friends and community institutions are significant predictors of exiting homelessness at three months. Newly homeless adolescents were more likely to have stable housing at three months if they had been away from home for one month or less, had contact with a mother or female guardian, had less fun with family and friends, received instrumental support from family, were from the USA, and did not need services for employment. Discussion: Background characteristics, such as age, that have been the focus of previous research on homeless adolescents did not emerge as the key predictors of exiting homelessness at three months. Family and community institution factors emerged as important predictors. The implications of these findings for interventions for homeless adolescents are addressed.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify predictors that enable adolescents to exit homelessness

Keywords: Homelessness,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.